What was school like for you as a child? What were your best and worst subjects? Where did you attend grade school? High school? College?
What school activities and sports did you participate in?
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Naomi Vettersays
1. I walked two miles uphill all the way in two feet of snow….oh, wait, the truth…I was so shy I wouldn’t talk and my teacher, Mr. Kelsey. He asked me if the cat had got my tongue. I got in trouble for writing in fingernail polish on the back of the outhouse. I had a cohort who supplied the nail polish and we both had to write 200 times I will not write on school property. My worst subject was and still is math related subjects…what the heck is a silly x + b = a …I just never could make sense of that kind of thing. I went to Oakgrove, Centennial, Honey Creek, Eugene and MU. I never participated in sports other than what was required.
Until I was in the 4th grade, we walked to school through the woods and pastures, where we were chased by cows and bulls quite often. We crossed streams that were scary to cross when it was raining. Several times we walked almost to M, Goetz’s before we could find a place to cross. Once we walked almost to Viesmans before we could get to school, because of the cows and bulls. It was scary for a little kid, who grew up being told about a friend of your mothers that was gored to death by a bull! I don’t know why those cows always chased us. Other than that, it was a really beautiful walk. I went to Oak Grove school until grade 7, then went to Honey Creek the next two years, to take religious instruction. I loved history, geography,math, and english. I hated spelling. At Honey Creek, I loved the memory work, catechism, and Bible study we had each day. Those were the best school years for me. I went to Eugene High school, I loved being there after my freshman year. I played on the girls softball team several years, and ran track. School was a safe haven for me, I loved it. Civics and science were my most hated subjects. We got to ride the school bus when I started 4th grade. We walked up to the bus just a half mile away, instead of the two mile walk through the woods.
Lolly, please tell about the time you sprained your ankle walking home from school and got carried home….why do I remember you sitting on a rail being carried home?
It was because you and Cleo carried me! I think you tried to carry me with your arms locked together, that probably didn’t work because you were so much smaller then Cleo. You girls found a rail of some kind and carried me. I don’t remember how I sprung my ankle. I remember our last day of school at Oak Grove,before Christmas vacation, There was so much excitement at school,we exchanged gifts and had treats. I received a pair of red mittens, and a bake set(rolling pin,cookie cutters, ect.) I was in the 3rd grade, That was the most wonderful gift in the whole wide world! The first pair of gloves I had ever had! When school was let out, it had started to snow. by the time we got to Otts pasture the flakes were falling so silently, and beautiful, they were so large it was amazing, The ground got covered very fast. I was in awe of the beauty of it all. I will never forget that walk home. Ever winter when it snows, I long for a snow like that one. It hasen’t happened since.
I had a great time in grade school, mainly because I went with my big brother and two cousins! They always let me play with them at recess even when the other girls weren’t allowed to play. My favorite subjects were math and history. I have never been very good at spelling….thank goodness for spellcheck! My dad would get so mad at us if he asked us how to spell something and we did not know how…..of course, neither did he, which is why he was asking! LOL! I went to Honey Creek when it was still a two room school house….it became three rooms when I was in third grade. I attended St. Paul’s High School and CMSU for college. I played volleyball in grade school and highschool and was a cheerleader in highschool and college.
In 1941 I was 6 years old on March the 15th. we were living at Selma’s place in Honey creek. We moved there from Schubert Missouri sometimes after Lolly was born. The fall of 1941 I started school at Honey creek along with Mahlon and Beartice. I think it was Mr Trinklein first year to teach at Honey Creek. after about a month of going to school at Honey creek we moved. We moved to a big house at Route 1 Henley Missouri. My parents purchased it from Andy Stroessner, who moved to Jefferson City,Mo. The house had 5 big rooms. The kitchen was painted a dark green and it was very dark and scary in there. I do not have any memory of how cramped we must have been at honey creek but I guess we were very thankful to have a roof over our heads. When we went to Oak Grove that first year we had 7 teachers, so with Mr Trinklein I guess we had 8 teacher, when I was in the first grade.To get to school we walked up 2 mountainsin 3 feet of snow
With hot baked potatoes or hot boiled eggs in our gloves to keep our fingers warm….I think I remember that…maybe I saw it on Little House on the Prarie.
I don’t remember carrying potatoes, but once in a while I had a hot boiled egg in each hand. One morning on the way to school, it was so cold, that I remember crying because my hands hurt so bad. Cleo had pity on me and helped me. I don’t remember what she did. but I wouldn’t have made it to school without her.
Beatrice walked the hall today and did a good job. Tomorrow she will have a new, temporary address at St. Joseph’s Home where she will continue her physical therapy for her brand new knee!
Beatrice told me a story today when I visited her at the hospital about how the older girls cooked lunch at the school (Oak Grove – lived at the 7th place). It must have been during the war, sometime between 1942 – 1945?? Evidently the schools were given government commodities during that time period.
That was before my day but I heard that story. They would have had to heat it up on top of the wood stove. Even with government commodities where would you have got the bread and stuff.
They might have baked it?? From Lloyd.
Did you play Annie Over at Oak Grove? One thing I remember at our school was making a club house out of tall weedy reeds. A boy was teasing me on the way home and I just hit him over the head with my metal lunch box. Put a gash in his head. So much for 4th graders teasing 2nd graders. He never gave me any trouble again.
I had a similar experience…..except it was my cousin calling me “four eyes” right after I got glasses…..I gave him a black eye…..I always wondered if Steve told his mom who punched him on the school bus….I never got in trouble for it, but I don’t know if it was because he never told or because Aunt Lolly thought I might have been justified in the punch???
Christina, Steve was punched a lot on that school bus, he came home several times with bruses on his face. I only knew who did one of them. He was probabley afraid he would get in more trouble if he told what he did.
Naomi Vetter says
1. I walked two miles uphill all the way in two feet of snow….oh, wait, the truth…I was so shy I wouldn’t talk and my teacher, Mr. Kelsey. He asked me if the cat had got my tongue. I got in trouble for writing in fingernail polish on the back of the outhouse. I had a cohort who supplied the nail polish and we both had to write 200 times I will not write on school property. My worst subject was and still is math related subjects…what the heck is a silly x + b = a …I just never could make sense of that kind of thing. I went to Oakgrove, Centennial, Honey Creek, Eugene and MU. I never participated in sports other than what was required.
Aunt Lolly says
Until I was in the 4th grade, we walked to school through the woods and pastures, where we were chased by cows and bulls quite often. We crossed streams that were scary to cross when it was raining. Several times we walked almost to M, Goetz’s before we could find a place to cross. Once we walked almost to Viesmans before we could get to school, because of the cows and bulls. It was scary for a little kid, who grew up being told about a friend of your mothers that was gored to death by a bull! I don’t know why those cows always chased us. Other than that, it was a really beautiful walk. I went to Oak Grove school until grade 7, then went to Honey Creek the next two years, to take religious instruction. I loved history, geography,math, and english. I hated spelling. At Honey Creek, I loved the memory work, catechism, and Bible study we had each day. Those were the best school years for me. I went to Eugene High school, I loved being there after my freshman year. I played on the girls softball team several years, and ran track. School was a safe haven for me, I loved it. Civics and science were my most hated subjects. We got to ride the school bus when I started 4th grade. We walked up to the bus just a half mile away, instead of the two mile walk through the woods.
Naomi Vetter says
Lolly, please tell about the time you sprained your ankle walking home from school and got carried home….why do I remember you sitting on a rail being carried home?
Aunt Lolly says
It was because you and Cleo carried me! I think you tried to carry me with your arms locked together, that probably didn’t work because you were so much smaller then Cleo. You girls found a rail of some kind and carried me. I don’t remember how I sprung my ankle. I remember our last day of school at Oak Grove,before Christmas vacation, There was so much excitement at school,we exchanged gifts and had treats. I received a pair of red mittens, and a bake set(rolling pin,cookie cutters, ect.) I was in the 3rd grade, That was the most wonderful gift in the whole wide world! The first pair of gloves I had ever had! When school was let out, it had started to snow. by the time we got to Otts pasture the flakes were falling so silently, and beautiful, they were so large it was amazing, The ground got covered very fast. I was in awe of the beauty of it all. I will never forget that walk home. Ever winter when it snows, I long for a snow like that one. It hasen’t happened since.
Christina Rowland says
I had a great time in grade school, mainly because I went with my big brother and two cousins! They always let me play with them at recess even when the other girls weren’t allowed to play. My favorite subjects were math and history. I have never been very good at spelling….thank goodness for spellcheck! My dad would get so mad at us if he asked us how to spell something and we did not know how…..of course, neither did he, which is why he was asking! LOL! I went to Honey Creek when it was still a two room school house….it became three rooms when I was in third grade. I attended St. Paul’s High School and CMSU for college. I played volleyball in grade school and highschool and was a cheerleader in highschool and college.
Jane says
Dad said you shouldn’t have said that but it was so true and he got a kick out of it.
Cleopha Howard says
In 1941 I was 6 years old on March the 15th. we were living at Selma’s place in Honey creek. We moved there from Schubert Missouri sometimes after Lolly was born. The fall of 1941 I started school at Honey creek along with Mahlon and Beartice. I think it was Mr Trinklein first year to teach at Honey Creek. after about a month of going to school at Honey creek we moved. We moved to a big house at Route 1 Henley Missouri. My parents purchased it from Andy Stroessner, who moved to Jefferson City,Mo. The house had 5 big rooms. The kitchen was painted a dark green and it was very dark and scary in there. I do not have any memory of how cramped we must have been at honey creek but I guess we were very thankful to have a roof over our heads. When we went to Oak Grove that first year we had 7 teachers, so with Mr Trinklein I guess we had 8 teacher, when I was in the first grade.To get to school we walked up 2 mountainsin 3 feet of snow
Naomi Vetter says
With hot baked potatoes or hot boiled eggs in our gloves to keep our fingers warm….I think I remember that…maybe I saw it on Little House on the Prarie.
Jane says
Lloyd says Vernon went there that year too.
Aunt Lolly says
I don’t remember carrying potatoes, but once in a while I had a hot boiled egg in each hand. One morning on the way to school, it was so cold, that I remember crying because my hands hurt so bad. Cleo had pity on me and helped me. I don’t remember what she did. but I wouldn’t have made it to school without her.
Naomi Vetter says
Beatrice walked the hall today and did a good job. Tomorrow she will have a new, temporary address at St. Joseph’s Home where she will continue her physical therapy for her brand new knee!
Beatrice told me a story today when I visited her at the hospital about how the older girls cooked lunch at the school (Oak Grove – lived at the 7th place). It must have been during the war, sometime between 1942 – 1945?? Evidently the schools were given government commodities during that time period.
Jane says
That was before my day but I heard that story. They would have had to heat it up on top of the wood stove. Even with government commodities where would you have got the bread and stuff.
They might have baked it?? From Lloyd.
Jane says
Did you play Annie Over at Oak Grove? One thing I remember at our school was making a club house out of tall weedy reeds. A boy was teasing me on the way home and I just hit him over the head with my metal lunch box. Put a gash in his head. So much for 4th graders teasing 2nd graders. He never gave me any trouble again.
Christina Rowland says
I had a similar experience…..except it was my cousin calling me “four eyes” right after I got glasses…..I gave him a black eye…..I always wondered if Steve told his mom who punched him on the school bus….I never got in trouble for it, but I don’t know if it was because he never told or because Aunt Lolly thought I might have been justified in the punch???
Aunt Lolly says
I ask Bea where she did this cooking, she said in the girls close choset there was a small gas burner that they used. The meal was fixed in there.
Aunt Lolly says
Christina, Steve was punched a lot on that school bus, he came home several times with bruses on his face. I only knew who did one of them. He was probabley afraid he would get in more trouble if he told what he did.